Device for the protection of meters.



PATENTED SEPT. 8, 1908.

T. MULLER. DEVICE FOR THE PROTECTION OF METERS.

APPLICATION PILED'PBB. 27, 1908.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

THEODORE MULLER, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

DEVICE FOR THE PROTECTION OF METERS.

Application filed February 27, 1908.

T 0 all whom "it may concern:

Be it known that I, THEODORE MULLER, a

' citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, county of Kings, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Devices for the Protection of Meters, of which the following is a specification.

In the construction of devices such as gas and electric light meters, it has heretofore been the custom to protect the recording dials and hands and the registering mechanism by a fiat piece of glass held in place between the meter casing and a removable frame fastened thereto. This and similar forms of construction have resulted unsatis factorily owing to the difiticulty of preventing openings large or small between the meter casing and the glass and retaining frame or of providing against 'the forming of such openings by the forcing aside of the meter casing; the presence of such openings has provided opportunity for tampering with the meter by the insertion of obstructions de signed to check the operation of the registering mechanism or other operating parts of the meter, especially where meters are so located as to be at all times accessible to those to whom such failure of operation would result advantageously.

It has been my purpose to provide means whereby the registering mechanism may be fully protected against interference, which means will also meet the requirements of simplicity and low cost of construction, of insuring a clear view of the recording hands and dials to any one desiring to inspect the same, and of being easily placed in position without interfering with the working of the meter.

I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to any particular form of device as shown in the drawings .herewith and set forth in the description thereof, as such forms may be capable of modifications as required without departing from the s irit of my invention as set forth in and falling within the scope of the claims hereto appended.

Figure 1 represents a meter front with my improved device in place in the opening therein; Fig. 2 represents a vertical top view in section of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 represents a view in perspective of the preferred form of my improved device; Fig. 4 represents a view in Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 8, 1908.

Serial No. 418,042.

perspective of a second form of my improved device; Fig. 5 represents a view in perspective of a third form of my improved device.

Turning now to a description of my invention in detail, the preferred form thereof con sists of a member A as shown in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, formed-preferably of an integral piece of molded glass. This member A comprises a portion 1 of a size and form corresponding to those of the opening in the meter casing and designed to be inserted therein from the rear and to project in front of the casing; around the rear edge of the portion 1 is formed a sub stantially vertical flan e 2 which is designed to rest against the inside of the casing around the edge of the opening therein and is provided with apertures such as 3, through which bolts may be passed and by means of which bolts and nuts 4 thereon the member A may be secured in position. Portion 1 of member A may be of any desired thickness, it being preferable, by reason of ease and strength of construction, that it be formed solid from front to rear of member A.

A modified form of member A is shown in Fig. 4 wherein the substantially vertical flange 2 is replaced by a substantially horizontal flange 5 and vertical projections 6 are provided whereby the member may be secured in position.

In Fig. 5 is shown a form provided with both substantially vertical and horizontal flanges.

In the use of forms provided with substantially horizontal flanges 5, said flanges may be constructed of sufficient projection to rest against the meter dial face outside of and around the field of operation of the recording hands, thereby protecting such hands from dirt and moisture as well as protecting the registering mechanism against interference from the outside.

I/Vhen both substantially vertical and horizontal flanges are used the use of fastening means such as screws may be dispensed with, the member A being held against displacement through the bearing of the horizontal flange against the dial face and of the vertical flange against the inside of casing 0. Also as desired metal fastener projections may be secured to the member A in place of apertures such as 3 or integral projections such as 6, or the member A may be secured in position by means of fastener clips pivoted on the inside of the casing 0 adjacent the opening therein.

It will thus be seen that by the use of my device interference with the registering mechanism and recording device of a meter is effectually prevented and should any degree of force be used to gain access thereto, the protecting device would be broken and upon inspection that fact would indicate that the meter had been tampered with. Should attempt be made to protect the registering mechanism by flanges formed on the metal meter casing around the opening therein, used in connection with the usual flat piece of glass, the results obtained by my improved device would not be gained owing to the fact that either the metal flanges could be forced aside to a suflicient extent, or apertures could be made therein which would ordinarily pass unobserved, in both of which cases an obstruction, (which need not be of any considerable size) could be inserted to check the registering device; or should the meter casing and flanges thereon be made of sufficient strength to resist any considerable degree of force, difiiculties will be presented such as that of obtaining a proper fit of the glass inserted in the opening therein, or of providing for ready insertion of the same without interfering with the operation of the meter.

It is of course well known that substantially all of the gas and electric meters now on the market are constructed with com paratively thin sheet metal casings. Such cases are not susceptible of being formed with shoulders in the thickness of the metal about the inspecting openings thereof, and hence it is customary to simply clasp a flat plate of glass in place over the opening by an internally or externally arranged framing suitably bolted in place, but this common arrangement lends itself readily to the objectionable tampering above mentioned. The metal contiguous to the glass is simply sprung or punched outwardly away from the glass sufficiently for forming a small opening of only sufflcient size for the introduction of a straw or other small, thin obstruction so that such sprung condition of the metal is not susceptible of ready detection. This method of access through the casing is obviated by the present invention, in which the provision of a projecting portion of glass extending through and beyond, and substantially fitting the inspection opening renders the springing or punching of the metal about-the opening impossible. Obviously no provision is required to prevent the formation of an opening in the casing at any point liable to ready observation.

The present invention is especially adapted for preventing non-detectable access to the interior of meters having casings of sheet material, as thin sheet tin, the common practice of springing the edge of the material about the inspection opening, when the ordinary glass such as has heretofore been in common use is employed, is obviated. The inspection opening is cut, punched or otherwise formed directly through the flat front face of the sheet metal casing, and the edges formed by such'opening are so guarded by the present invention that non-detectable access to the interior of the casing past the glass and back of one of the edges of the opening is prevented.

Having thus described my invention what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is 1. A meter casing having an inspection opening therein and a closure for said opening comprising transparent material thicker than the material of said casing and substantially filling said opening and projecting therethrough outwardly and having a flange bearing flat against the inner face of said casing.

2. The combination with a meter casing of relatively thin material formed with an inspection opening, of a closure for said opening comprising a flanged portion. lying against the wall of the casing, and a projecting portion extending at substantially right angles to the flanged portion and projecting through the opening and beyond the wall of the casing, the portion of the closure in front of the opening being transparent.

3. The combination with a meter casing of relatively thin material formed with an inspection opening, the material of the casing about the opening being sufficiently thin to be susceptible of being readily sprung, of a closure for said opening comprising a flanged portion lying flat against the flat wall of the casing, and a projecting portion extending at substantially right angles to the flanged portion and projecting through the opening and beyond the Wall of the casing, the portion of the closure in front of the opening being transparent.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two witnesses.

THEODORE MULLER. l/Vitnesses:

T. E. HARDE BERGH, Jr., OSCAR AsoHER. 

